Memory module including battery

ABSTRACT

A memory module may include a module substrate having first and second surfaces facing away from each other, a plurality of first memories mounted over one or more of the first and second surfaces, one or more second memories and a controller each mounted over one of the first and second surfaces of the module substrate, and a plurality of batteries mounted over one or more of the first and second surfaces of the module substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/996,001, filed on Jun. 1, 2018, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/918,734,filed on Oct. 21, 2015, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) toKorean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0062961 filed on May 6, 2015, inthe Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

Various embodiments generally relate to a memory module, and moreparticularly to a memory module having batteries.

2. Related Art

A computer system (e.g., server computer system and client computersystem) may include a CPU, memory modules, and other electroniccomponents (e.g., hard disks, graphic devices, passive elements, andpower supply devices). The memory module is an electronic component thatincludes one or more semiconductor memory chips mounted on a printedcircuit board. Examples of the memory module include a DRAM Dual In-lineMemory Module (hereinafter referred to as “DIMM”) in which a pluralityof DRAMs and a plurality of memory controllers for controlling theoperations of the DRAMs are mounted on a printed circuit board havingsignal lines for data transmission between the memory controllers andthe DRAMs.

A Non-Volatile Dual In-line Memory Module (hereinafter referred to as“NVDIMM”) is a DIMM that retains data even in the absence of powersupply. Examples of the NVDIMMs may include an NVDIMM that is built withboth DRAMs and Flash Memories. This type of NVDIMM may be used in aserver computer system to enable its system memory to be persistent inthe event of power failure.

The NVDIMM may include volatile memories (e.g., DRAMs) and nonvolatilememories (e.g., NAND Flash Memories) mounted together with an NVDIMMcontroller on a printed circuit board. Under normal power conditions,the NVDIMM operates like a regular DRAM module. It differs from aregular module, however, because it transfers data between the DRAMs andFlash Memories to save data from the DRAM to the Flash Memories andrestore the date from the Flash Memories to the DRAM.

A server computer system including the NVDIMM may also include batteriesmounted on a main system board. In the case of power failure, the NVDIMMoperates using the batteries, the super capacitor of which stores powerduring a normal state.

While not shown, such batteries mounted on the main system board of theserver computer system may have one or more types of an HDD type A, aPCI card type B, and a custom type C.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a memory module may be provided. The memory module mayinclude a module substrate of a rectangular plate-shape having onesurface and the other surface which faces away from the one surface. Thememory module may include a plurality of first memories mounted to atleast any one surface of the one surface and the other surface of themodule substrate. The memory module may include a second memory and acontroller mounted to any one surface of the one surface and the othersurface of the module substrate. The memory module may include aplurality of batteries mounted to at least any one surface of the onesurface and the other surface of the module substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are examples of a front view and a rear view illustratinga memory module in accordance with an embodiment.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are examples of cross-sectional views taken along the lineA-A′ of FIG. 1, illustrating how the memory module may be mounted on amain system board in accordance with an embodiment.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are examples of a front view and a rear view illustratinga memory module in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an example of a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B′of FIG. 5, illustrating how the memory module may be mounted on a mainsystem board in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electronicsystem including the memory modules in accordance with variousembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a memory module including batteries will be described belowwith reference to the accompanying drawings through various examples ofembodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a memory module 100 in accordance with anembodiment may be mounted over a main system board 110. Here, the memorymodule 100 may be an NVDIMM of a server computer system. The memorymodule 100 may include a module substrate 10, a plurality of firstmemories 20, switches 30, a second memory 40, a controller 50, andbatteries 60.

The module substrate 10 may be a rectangular-shaped substrate that hasfirst and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b facing away from each other. Themodule substrate 10 may have short sides along a first direction SD andlong sides along a second direction LD. The module substrate 10 mayinclude a plurality of electrode pads 12 arranged on both sides of themodule substrate 10 along an edge in the second direction LD. Theplurality of electrode pads 12 may fit into a socket 112 of the mainsystem board 110 to electrically connect the module substrate 10 to themain system board 110. The module substrate 10 may have circuit patternsthat are formed on the first and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b and viasthat are formed inside the module substrate 10 for electricallyconnecting the circuit patterns on the first and second surfaces 10 aand 10 b.

The first memories 20 may include volatile memories. For instance, thefirst memories 20 may include DRAMs. The first memories 20 may bemounted at a predetermined interval along the second direction LD. In anembodiment, the first memories 20 are mounted on certain portions of thefirst surface 10 a other than a center portion thereof. For example,DRAMs may be mounted on the first surface 10 a of the module substrate10 along the second direction LD such that eight DRAMs are symmetricallyarranged on both sides of the center portion of the module substrate 10at predetermined intervals.

The switches 30 may turn on/off the first memories 20 in response tocontrol signals provided from the controller 50. The switches 30 may bemounted over the first surface 10 a of the module substrate 10 such thatthe switches 30 are spaced predetermined distances apart from the firstmemories 20. The switches 30 may have a similar structure to knownswitches, and therefore detailed illustration and description thereofwill be omitted herein.

The second memory 40 may include one or more non-volatile memories toallow the memory module 100 to retain data even in the absence of powersupply. For instance, the memory module 100 may include, as the secondmemory 40, a NAND Flash memory mounted over the center portion of thefirst surface 10 a. The second memory 40 may operate in response to acontrol signal provided from the controller 50 in the event of powerfailure.

The controller 50 may include an NVDIMM controller. The controller 50may be mounted over the first surface 10 a of the module substrate 10.In an embodiment, the controller 50 may be positioned at the centerportion of the module substrate 10 when viewed in the second directionLD. In an embodiment, the controller 50 may be spaced apart from thesecond memory 40. The controller 50 may provide control signals thatturn on/off the switches 30 and enable the data transmission between thefirst memories 20 and the second memory 40.

The batteries 60 may have a super capacitor structure to supply power tothe memory module 100 in the event of power failure. The batteries 60having the super capacitor structure may be mounted over the secondsurface 10 b of the module substrate 10. For example, the batteries 60having the super capacitor structure may be respectively mounted overcertain portions of the second surface 10 b of the module substrate 10facing away from the portions of the first surface 10 a of the modulesubstrate 10 on which the first memories 20 and the switches 30 aremounted.

Since batteries having the super capacitor structure are sensitive toheat, the batteries 60, which are mounted on a surface facing away fromthe first and second memories 20 and 40, may not operate properly due tothe heat generated while the first memories 20 and the second memory 40are operating.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, insulation members 70 may be interposedbetween the second surface 10 b of the module substrate 10 and thebatteries 60. The insulation members 70 may include one or more ofseparate insulation plates and insulation layers formed on the secondsurface 10 b of the module substrate 10.

As described above, the memory module 100 in accordance with anembodiment may include the first memories 20, the switches 30, thesecond memory 40, and the controller 50 mounted on the first surface 10a of the module substrate 10, and the plurality of batteries 60 mountedon the second surface 10 b of the module substrate 10.

Since the memory module 100 in accordance with an embodiment includesbatteries 60 with super capacitor structure to sustain power to volatilememories in an NVDIMM, it is not necessary for a server computer systemto have batteries for the NVDIMM on the main system board 110, and thuseven when a number of NVDIMMs are mounted on the main system board, itis possible to efficiently utilize the space of the main system board110.

Also, even if a server computer system has two or more NVDIMMs on itsmain system board, no additional batteries are required to be mounted onthe main system board 110 because the memory module 100 has their ownbatteries 60 with super capacitor structure.

In addition, since the memory module 100 has the batteries 60 with supercapacitor structure on the opposite surface of the surface where thefirst memories 20, the switches 30, the second memory 40, and thecontroller 50 are mounted, an increase in volume of the memory module100 may be minimized, and the memory module 100 may be attached toexisting sockets of the main system board 110 without increasing spaces.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, a memory module 200 in accordance with anembodiment may have a relatively high capacity when compared to theaforementioned embodiment.

The memory module 200 having the high capacity NVDIMM structure mayinclude a module substrate 10, first memories 20, switches 30, a secondmemory 40, a controller 50, batteries 60, and a heat sink 90. The memorymodule 200 in accordance with an embodiment may further include aregister clock driver (hereinafter referred to as “RCD”) 80.

The module substrate 10 may be a rectangular-shaped substrate that hasfirst and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b facing away from each other. Themodule substrate 10 may have short sides along a first direction SD andlong sides along a second direction LD. The module substrate 10 mayinclude circuit patterns (not shown) on the first surface 10 a and thesecond surface 10 b thereof, and vias (not shown) formed inside themodule substrate 10. The module substrate 10 may include a plurality ofelectrode pads 12 arranged on both sides of the module substrate 10along an edge in the second direction LD. The plurality of electrodepads 12 may fit into a socket 112 of the main system board 110.

The first memories 20 may include volatile memory devices such as DRAMs.The first memories 20 are mounted over the first and second surfaces 10a and 10 b of the module substrate 10. The first memories 20 may bearranged at a predetermined interval along the second direction LD. Inan embodiment, the first memories 20 are arranged on certain portions ofthe first and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b other than center portionsthereof. In an embodiment, the first memories 20 may be symmetricallymounted on the first and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b of the modulesubstrate 10 along the second direction LD such that eight DRAMs aresymmetrically arranged on both sides of the center portions of the firstand second surfaces 10 a and 10 b at predetermined intervals.

The switches 30 may turn on/off the first memories 20. The switches 30may be mounted over one or more of the first and second surfaces 10 aand 10 b of the module substrate 10 such that the switches 30 are spacedpredetermined distances apart from the first memories 20.

The second memory 40 may include one or more nonvolatile memories suchas Flash Memories. In an embodiment, the second memory 40 may be mountedover any one of the first and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b of themodule substrate 10. For example, the second memory 40 may be mountedover the center portion of the second surface 10 b. The second memory 40may retain data even in the absence of power supply, and thus the firstmemories 20 transfer data stored therein to the second memory 40 to savedata and restore the date from the second memory 40 to the firstmemories 20 after having recovered from a power outage.

The controller 50 may include an NVDIMM controller. The controller 50may be mounted over the first surface 10 a or the second surface 10 b ofthe module substrate 10 at the center portion of the module substrate 10where the second memory 40 is not mounted. The controller 50 may providecontrol signals to the second memory 40 to enable the data transmissionbetween the first memories 20 and the second memory 40. Here, the firstmemories 20 may include DRAMs, and the second memory 40 may include aFlash Memory.

The RCD 80 may be mounted over the first surface 10 a of the modulesubstrate 10. In an embodiment, the RCD 80 may be positioned at thecenter portion of the first surface 10 a when viewed in the seconddirection LD. The RCD 80 may be spaced apart from the controller 50. TheRCD 80 may be similar to that of known memory module, and thus detaileddescription thereof will be omitted herein.

The heat sink 90 may be disposed on the first and second surfaces 10 aand 10 b of the module substrate 10 on which the first and secondmemories 20 and 40, the switches 30, the controller 50 and the RCD 80are mounted. In an embodiment, the heat sink 90 may include a frontsurface portion 90 a disposed on an edge portion of the first surface 10a, a rear surface portion 90 b disposed on an edge portion of the secondsurface 10 b, and a connection portion 90 c, which is disposed on theopposite edge to the edge where the electrode pads are arranged andconnects the front surface portion 90 a and the rear surface portion 90b to each other. In an embodiment, the heat sink 90 may be formed bycombining the front surface portion 90 a, the rear surface portion 90 b,and the connection portion 90 c. In another embodiment, the heat sink 90may be an integrated structure that has the front surface portion 90 a,the rear surface portion 90 b, and the connection portion 90 c therein.The heat sink 90 may be installed in such a way as to be brought intocontact with the first and second memories 20 and 40. As a result, theheat generated while the first and second memories 20 and 40 are drivenmay be dissipated through the heat sink 90.

The batteries 60 may have a super capacitor structure to supply power tothe memory module 200 in the event of power failure. The batteries 60may be mounted over certain portions of the heat sink 90 disposed on thefirst memories 20, which are disposed on both the first and secondsurfaces 10 a and 10 b of the module substrate 10. In an embodiment, thebatteries 60 may be mounted over thermal interface materials 62 formedon the heat sink 90.

In an embodiment, since the first memories 20 (e.g., DRAMs) are mountedover both the first and second surfaces 10 a and 10 b of the modulesubstrate 10, memory module 200 (e.g., NVDIMM) may have a relativelyhigh capacity when compared to the aforementioned embodiment. Also, theheat sink 90 is additionally mounted over the first and second surfaces10 a and 10 b of the module substrate 10, and thus the chances of anerror occurring due to heat generation may decrease.

In addition, since the memory module 200 in accordance with anembodiment include a plurality of batteries having a super capacitorstructure to sustain power to volatile memories in the memory module200, no additional batteries are required to be mounted over the mainsystem board because each memory module 200 has their own batteries 60with super capacitor structure, and thus it is possible to efficientlyutilize the space of the main system board.

The memory modules in accordance with various embodiments may be appliedto various kinds of electronic systems.

Referring to FIG. 8, an electronic system 1000 may include the memorymodules in accordance with various embodiments. For instance, theelectronic system 1000 may include a controller 1100, an input/outputunit 1200, and a memory device 1300. The controller 1100, theinput/output unit 1200, and the memory device 1300 may be coupled to oneanother through a system bus 1500.

For example, the controller 1100 may include one or more of amicroprocessor, a digital signal processor, a microcontroller, and logicdevices capable of performing similar functions to these components. Theinput/output unit 1200 may include one or more of a keypad, a keyboard,a display device, and so forth.

The memory device 1300 may store data and/or commands to be executed bythe controller 1100. The memory device 1300 may include the memorymodules in accordance with various embodiments.

The electronic system 1000 may further include an interface 1400 fortransmitting data to a communication network or receiving data from thecommunication network. The interface 1400 may be a wired or wirelesstype. For example, the interface 1400 may include an antenna or awired/wireless transceiver.

Although not shown, the electronic system 1000 may further include anapplication chipset, a camera image processor (CIP), and so forth.

The electronic system 1000 may be realized as a mobile system, apersonal computer, a computer for an industrial use, or a logic systemperforming various functions. For example, the mobile system may be apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a portable computer, a web tablet, amobile phone, a smart phone, a wireless phone, a laptop computer, amemory card, a digital music system, or an informationtransmission/reception system.

In a case where the electronic system 1000 is an equipment capable ofperforming wireless communication, the electronic system 1000 may beused in a communication system such as Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA), Global System for Mobile communication (GSM), North AmericanDigital Cellular (NADC), Enhanced-Time Division Multiple Access(E-TDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), CDMA2000, LongTerm Evolution (LTE) and Wireless Broadband Internet (Wibro).

While various embodiments have been described above, it will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the embodiments describedare by way of example only. Accordingly, the memory module includingbatteries described herein should not be limited based on the describedembodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A memory module comprising: a first circuit boardhaving a plurality of electrical contacts on an edge of said firstcircuit board, the plurality of electrical contacts being configured tomate with and engage a mating connector attached to a second anddifferent circuit board; a controller attached to the first circuitboard; a first memory attached to the first circuit board and configuredto be enabled in response to one or more of first control signalsprovided by the controller; a second memory attached to the firstcircuit board and configured to be enabled in response to one or more ofsecond control signals provided by the controller; a register clockdriver attached to the first circuit board; a super capacitor attachedto the first circuit board, the supercapacitor being configured to beselectively coupled to the controller, the super capacitor being sized,shaped and arranged to provide electrical energy to the controller whenthe supercapacitor is coupled to the controller; and a heat sinkinterposed between one surface of the first memory and one surface ofthe supercapacitor leaving exposed the top and side surfaces of thesupercapacitor, wherein engagement of the electrical contacts in theconnector electrically couple components on the first circuit board tocomponents on the second circuit board which lacks a supercapacitor or abattery for supplying back-up or standby electrical energy to componentsattached to the first circuit board during a power outage.
 2. The memorymodule according to claim 1, wherein the supercapacitor is configured toenable the memory module to be persistent in the event of a poweroutage.
 3. The memory module according to claim 1, wherein thesupercapacitor is configured to provide power to the second memory to beresponded to one or more of the second control signals from thecontroller in the event of a power outage.
 4. The memory moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein the supercapacitor is configured tosustain power temporarily to the first memory during a power outage. 5.The memory module according to claim 1, wherein the controller isconfigured to enable data transmission from the first memory to thesecond memory to save data in a power outage.
 6. The memory moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to enabledata transmission to restore data in the first memory from the secondmemory after having recovered from a power outage.
 7. The memory moduleaccording to claim 1, wherein the heat sink is configured to contactwith the first memory.
 8. The memory module according to claim 1,wherein the heat sink is configured to contact with the second memory.9. The memory module according to claim 1, further comprising: a switchconfigured to selectively turn on an electrical path to the first memoryin response to a third control signal from the controller.
 10. Thememory module according to claim 1, wherein the first memory and thesupercapacitor are mounted over both the first and second surfaces ofthe module.
 11. The memory module according to claim 1, wherein thefirst memory comprise a volatile memory.
 12. The memory module accordingto claim 1, wherein the second memory comprise a non-volatile memory.13. A memory module comprising: a first circuit board comprising: acontroller; a first memory configured to be enabled in response to oneor more of first control signals provided by the controller; a secondmemory configured to be enabled in response to one or more of secondcontrol signals provided by the controller; a third memory configured tobe enabled in response to one or more of the first control signalsprovided by the controller; a first switch and a second switchconfigured to be enabled in response to one or more the first controlsignals; a supercapacitor configured to electrically selectively becoupled to the controller during a power failure; and a heat sinkinterposed between one surface of the first memory and one surface ofthe supercapacitor leaving exposed the top and side surfaces of thesupercapacitor, wherein the controller, the first memory, the secondmemory, and the third memory, receive stand-by electrical energy fromthe supercapacitor during a power failure, but not from a second anddifferent circuit board to which the first circuit board is connected.14. The memory module according to claim 13, wherein the supercapacitoris configured to enable the first memory to be persistent in the eventof a power outage except the third memory.
 15. The memory moduleaccording to claim 13, wherein the supercapacitor is configured tosustain power temporarily to the first memory to be actively operatedand to the third memory to be operated with less power consumptionduring a power outage.
 16. The memory module according to claim 13,wherein the controller is configured to enable data transmission fromthe first memory to the second memory to save data after enabling datatransmission from the third memory to the second memory in a poweroutage.
 17. A memory module according to claim 13, wherein the heat sinkis configured to contact with the first memory and the second memory.18. The memory module according to claim 13, wherein the first switch isconfigured to selectively turn on an electrical path to the first memoryin response to one or more of the first control signals from thecontroller while the second switch keeping unchanged an electrical pathto the third memory.
 19. The memory module according to claim 13,wherein the first memory and the third memory comprise a volatilememory.
 20. The memory module according to claim 13, wherein the secondmemory comprise a non-volatile memory.
 21. An electronic systemcomprising: a main system board; a memory module coupled to the mainsystem board and comprising; a controller; a first memory configured tobe enabled in response to one or more of first control signals providedby the controller; a second memory configured to be enabled in responseto one or more of second controls signals provided by the controller; aregister clock driver; a supercapacitor configured to electricallyselectively be coupled to the controller, and an interface; and a heatsink interposed between one surface of the first memory and one surfaceof the supercapacitor leaving exposed the top and side surfaces of thesupercapacitor, wherein the controller, the first memory, the secondmemory, the register clock driver, the supercapacitor and the interfaceare mounted over a single module substrate; wherein the main systemboard does not have either a battery or a supercapacitor that providesstand-by electrical energy to the memory module or any of itscomponents.
 22. The electronic system according to claim 21, wherein theinterface comprises a wireless transceiver.
 23. The memory moduleaccording to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to enabledata transmission to restore data in the first memory and the thirdmemory from the second memory after having recovered from a poweroutage.